Machine employed in manufacturing belts



June 7, 1932. w. H. GERSTENSLAGER MACHINE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING BELTS 'Filed Jan. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NAN J1me Z 1932. w. H. GERSTENSLAGER MACHINE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING BELTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5. 1 929 CON 1 lilu rlrl I i atented June 7, 1932 WILLIAM,.H, GERSTENSLAGER,.OF AKRON OI' IIO; ASSIGNOR. TO THE GOODYEAR TIRl'l'dz' nuannacorrrenxor AKRON, OHIO, A. CORPORATION" OF. 0111 IJIACHINE EIVZPLOYED'IN MANUEACTUBING BELTS Application filed January 3, 19291 Serial- No; 30,083,

Tl hisinv-cntion: nelates to machines for; manufacturing endless rubberbelts and it has particular relationtoaunachine for sep cores of: the belts previous to the subsequent vivulcanizingithem.

An object of the inventionis toprovide a: machine Which; will: becapable automatically. .ofi separating adhering cores of uubber belts; following. the cutting thereof fromaan elongate cylindrical-band of rubberized material;

An. ordinary method of manufacturing endloss-bel ts composed of rubberi zedunaterial involves :the spiral Winding; of strips ofthe rnbbcnizcd. fabric'm'aterialuponia collapsible drum i until a i predetermined thickness thereof is obtained andithere'after cutting through the cylindrical band zcthusforming: it. into n'arrow' annular cores. The cores; however, do not;.remain:separatedbut: springyback into engaging; andiadherin'g relation, owing-to .the resiliency of the rubber,.the adhesive.- properties thereof', When inan unvulcanizedrstate; and the-fact aha-tithe.inner'penipheral surface of the band firmly engages the drum and prevents relative slidingrmovement between the coresasthe cutting'knife is projectedzthrough the banidi Hence; afterstlie dnumais collapsed and; the-band: of: adhering: cores bodily: removed: therefrom, it is necessary forcibly; to separate. the cores; Heretofore, thecores have been separated by: pulling them: apart manually;

This invention invollve's a machinefor separating.- the cores automatically. following their: removal. from the collapsible: drum. It! embodies a. pivoted: arm: havingrollers on its upper surface for-supporting the assembledlband of. cores and a removable chain adj acent' the free: end; of the arm, provided wit-hzhooks for engagiiigsuccessively the. end cores and-f separating them fromi the: remain ing-ones. A'fter'each. core is separated from the band;. another means threads'it onto: a rod: from. whence the collected cores finally are removedifor. the subsequent steps of; being covered? with; fabric andi vulcauizech.

rm.- a. better under-standingofi; the inventioin.reference may nowbehad: to: the. ac-

.teos of: applying-a cover thereto an dcompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification in Which:

Fig. 1 isa side elevat-ionali'vieiv of a machine constructed according to one-embodiment; of. the invention; a

Fig; 2 is aplan vieu of the-machineshown by Fig; I;

Fig. 8 is across-sectional viewtaken substantially. along; the linel'I IBIHiof Fig; 1; 1 Fig. lisacro-sssectional view-takensubstantially alongthelineIV-IV of F 2;

Fig.5 is a: cross-sectionaL View taken substantiallyalong the lineV-V of Fig. 2;

Fig; 6 isa cross-sectional VlGW-tZLkQILSLllO- stantially along thedine VI- VIiof: i I;

Fig; 7 is an enlarged-view of a portion of a chain employed: in the machine,- illustrating the construction of a. hook: secured" thereto;

Fig. Sis-a View taken from the left side of Fig. 7, With portions of the structure omitted: for thepurposeof, clearness'; and

Fig; 9'isacross-sectional:view taken; sub stant-ially along the-Iine'rIX-JX of Fig}. 1'.

Referring to Figsal and 2-,, a frame 10 comprises four vertically extending angle bar -151, 12, 13 and lt-r-ivetediat their. upper ends to vertically; disposedrangle plates 22, which plates in turn are riveted to the-cor.- ners-of arectangular frame; composedof horizontally dis-posed angle bar-s 17,18, 19 and 20. The verticallyv disposed. angle bars 11 and ltare connectedby oppositely inclined bracing barsand: 26 riveted: respectively to theopposite' ends of. the former with-t-he latter projecting across each otherinterme diate their ends 1 andv riveted togetheras indicated 2'2. Similarly the vertically disposed angle bars 18.- and 14 are int-ersconnected'by. bracing-bars 29-and 30 riveted. there toand: which, intermediate thei -rends v are rivetedtogetheras indicated at 31'. In turn, the vertically dispo-sedangle-bars 12 and 13 arecOnnected by bracing/i bars 35and'36 se cured togetherintermediate their ends by a rivet 37;

A.- bearing; bracket. 35' is secured. by. bolts 36 totfhe-upper endof: the angle bar-11 and oneiof the plates 22, The bracket is provided; with a laterally offset, vertically projectinggtrunnion 38,-avhich is received Within a bearing 44 having a bearing bracket 40 formed integrally therewith. Bolts 42 projecting through the bracket 40, secure the latter rigidly to one end of an arm 43 which is substantially of the same length as the horizontally disposed angle bars 17 and 19 and, in its normally operative position, is disposed parallel hereto. he arm 43 is releasably retained in position by a latch 48 having a notch 57 at one end in its lower edge, adapted to engage the upper edge of the arm. At the opposite end, the latch is pivotally connected by a bolt 49 to an obliquely projecting portion 50 of an angle bracket 52 riveted at its base to the angle bar 17, as indicated at 53.

A plurality of rollers 60, disposed on opposite sides of the arm 43 and having substantially semi-ellipsoidal outer surfaces and plane inner surfaces are rotatably mounted on stud bolts 61 projecting through the rollers and the arm. The arm 43, at its outer end, also supports a pair of vertically disposed bars 63 and 64 (Fig. 9) secured thereto by screws 59, which terminate adjacent the upper edge of the arm but project below its lower edge. The lower ends of the last mentioned bars rotatably support apulley 88 therebetwen whereas an arcuate plate 62 rigidly secured to the arm 43, is disposed in overlapping relation to the upper ends thereof. The curvature of this plate is similar to that of the rollers and its upper surface is disposed substantially in the plane of the upper surfaces thereof.

The opposite sides of the arm 43 below the rollers 60, are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 65 and 66, extending from a point adjacent the pivoted end of the arm to the free end thereof. The grooves are adapted to retain a cross-head 68 slid ably on the arm. This crosshead comprises a bar 69 disposed transversely of the arm 43, having a central groove 72 in its upper surface extending normally to its length and a central portion 70 projecting rearwardly from the bar. The central portion 70 also is provided with a groove similar to the groove 72 and communicating therewith. These grooves in the bar 69 and portion 70 receive the lower edge of the arm 43 while a pair of flanges 75 and 76, projecting inwardly from the upper edges of the grooves on opposite sides thereof, are disposed within the aforesaid grooves 65 and 66 in the arm, thus retaining the crosshead thereon. In addition, the groove 72 on the outer side of the bar 69 is enlarged (see Fig. 4) sufficiently as indicated at 71 to receive the bars 63 and 64 on the outer end of the arm 43 when the crosshead is at this end of the latter. The crosshead 68 is releasably retained adjacent the pivoted end of the arm 43 by a thin latch bar 78, secured by screws and 81 at one end to the portion 70 5 of the crosshead andv having a lip 82 at its other end adapted to engage resiliently a bar 83 projecting downwardly from and secured by a bolt 84 to the arm.

A semi-circular bar 92, disposed above the crosshead 63 and provided with laterally projecting portions 93 and 94 at its ends, secured by screws 95 and 96 to opposite ends of the bar 69, extends over the arm 43 on the opposite sides thereof and above the rollers 60. This bar, on its inner periphery, is provided with hooks 97 and 98, projecting laterally from the side thereof next to the free end of the arm 43 and thereafter up wardly, whereby aband of belt cores encircling the arm 43 may be engaged at one end by the crosshead. When the crosshead 68 is in its extreme outer position on the arms 43, and the bars 63 and 64 are. disposed in the enlarged portion 71 of the groove 72, the semi-circular bar 92 is spaced from the end of the arm 43 a distance substantially equal to the width of a single belt core.

In addition, the portion 70 of the crosshead (see Fi g. 1) is provided with a depending apertured lug 90, towhich one end of a cable 91 is attached. The cable extends toward the outer end of 1e arm 43 and is trained over the aforesaid grooved pulley 88 which is rotatably mounted between the lower ends of the bars 63 and 64, thence in a reverse direction to a point adjacent the latch rod 48 where it is trained over a grooved pulley 100 rotatably supported on the lower end of a bar 101 secured by screws 102 to the arm. Thereafter, the cable extends down wardly and under a grooved pulley 105 rotatably mounted in. a fork 106 secured to a counter-weight 107, from whence it extends upwardly and is secured at its other end to a lug 108 integral with the lower edge of the arm 43.

A motor 115, mounted on a plate 116 secured by rivets 117 to the upper surface of the angle bars 17, 18 and 19,isprovidedwitha shaft 118 connected by a coupling119toastud shaft 120 forming part of a reduction gear ing 121. A second stud shaft 122 projecting from and operatively connected to the reduction gearing 121, in turn is connected by a coupling 123 to a shaft 124 journaled in bearing brackets and 131 bolted to the plate 116 as indicated at 132 and 133. The latter shaft projects at right angles to the angle bar 17 and has an extended end provided with a sprocket wheel 136 which is disposed adj acent the end of the arm 43 in substantially the same plane thereof when it is in its operative or latched position. A chain 140 rained over the sprocket wheel 136 also is trained over a sprocket wheel 142 rigidly secured on one end of a shaft 143 journaled in bearing brackets 143 and 149, which brackets are secured by bolts to other brackets 151 and 152 in turn, respectively secured by bolts and 154 to the vertically extending nseeg icc and B' adjacent their lower wide plate 160 disposedparalleltheretoand securedby screws 161 to projections 162' on opposite sides of certain links of the chain. At" one end, the plate 160 converges into. a

H portion 165 of less width than the major portion of the plate and centrally disposed relative thereto, whichpor-tion' projects in a normal direction outwardly from theplatei A hook portion 166 integral with the-outer end of the-portion 165,- extendsparallel to but away from the plate 160, and is sharpened at its outer end, as indicated at 167.

Bars 170 and 171 pivoted intermediate their ends on opposite ends of a pin1172'disposed. adjacent each hook and forming part ofthe chain, have extended portions 17 3and 17% disposed on opposite sides of the hook portion 166 and the portion 165 of the-plate 160, which extended portionsare connected by springs 180 and 181 to the plate 160,

certain of the screws 161 serving to secure the upper ends of the springs thereon. Normally the portions 173 and 174: of the bars 170 and 171 are disposed inwardly of the end of the hook 166 but are adapted to be moved against he action of the springs 180 and 181 past the end thereof by a pin 185 disposed in the path of movement of the other ends, indicated at 176 and 177, of the bars 17 0 and 171, which extend oppositely to the ends 173 and 17 1. This pin is mounted on the upper end of a bar 186 adj ustably secured by a belt 191 to the upper end of a bracket 190 which bolt projects through the lower end of the bar and through an elongated slot 189 in the bracket. The latter bracket is secured by one of the bolts 150 to the afore said bracket 152.

A switch 195, having a pivoted operating arm 196 is secured by a screw 197 to a bracket 198 which in turn is also secured by the last mentioned bolt 150 to the bearing bracket 149. This switch is in the circuit of the motor 115 and when the arm 196 is in its inoperative position energization of the motor is prevented.

A pinion 200 (Fig. 2) ri idly secured to the shaft 143 between the bearing brackets 148 and 149 and adjacent the former, has a chain 201 trained thereover, which chain in turn extends over a pinion 202 rigidly secured on a second shaft 205 adjacent the opposite end of the frame 10. The latter shaft is rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 206 and 207 secured by bolts 208 and 209 to other brackets 210 and 211 bolted to the vertically extending angle bars 11 and 1- as indicated at 212. One end of the shaft 205, extending beneath the arm 43, has a bevel gear 215 on its end meshing with a bevel gear 216 secured to a shaft 225 rotatably: supported in a bearing bracket 217, which-bracket is securedby bolts 21-8 to the bracket 211. The shaft-225 ex tendsat a slight angle to the vertical iii-the vertical planeof' the arm 43-00 a point adjacent the chain 140- and is provided with a sleeve-226, having a disc portion=228 secured by a set screw 227 thereon. In addition, the shaft 225-is provided witha thread 230 out wardly of the sleeves 226,

Theplate 116 also supports an angle bracket 265havinga-base 268-secured by bolts 267 to the plate and a vertically projecting por tion'269 towhich an arm 263 is secured by bolts26 l. This arm extendstransversely of the plane of the arm 43adjacent the free end of the latter and is disposed'vertically above bot'h tlie sprocket wheel 136'and'the curved bar 92011 the crosshead 68. Spacethbars- 260 and-261, secured by bolts 262 to the-arm263, extend downwardly'on opposite sides of the vertical plane of the arm 43 in positions close-- ly' adjacent tothe free end of: the latter.- These bars are also disposed adjacent the sprocket wheel 186,- so'that when the hooks on the'ohain llOHlOVe downwardlyoverthe sprocket wheel they pass between'the bars.

In operation I of the above described mechanism, a band 250, composed: of individual belt cores 251 adhering'together owingto the adhesive qualities of the unvul'oanized rubber therein is disposed over the arm 43 with the latter in its unlatched position and the inner'end core'is fastened to the hooks 97 and 98: Thereafter, the arm is moved about the pivot 38-into its latched or operative position.- With the band 250in this position, release o'f the latch 7 8-and thereby the crosshead 68, results inthecounterweight 107 urging the bar 92- of the crosshead againstthe end of the band hooked thereon. This, in turn, urges the opposite end of the hand against the aforesaid bars-260 and 261 mounted on-the arm':263 adjacent the free-end of the arm 18, which bars arespaced sufliciently from the end of the arm l3 that withthe band in this position, the outer end core is'clearof the end of the arm; Energization-of the motor 115 now causes movement of the chain 140 in the direction indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 1 and as one of the hooks 166 moves past the end of the band 250, it engages the core whichis beyon'dthe end of the arm43 and pulls it dow-nwardly, thus separating it fromthe band as shown by Fig. 1. As soon as the core is separated from the'upper part of the band, the counterweight 107 moves the crosshead 68 and hence, the band-250, until the nezit core is moved into :abuttingrelation with the bars 260 and 261- Aft'erthe first mentioned core is completely separated from the band, its upper end falls upon the outer end of the rod 225 which also is being turned by the motor 115;

Further movement of the hook. causes'the int t as

arms 170 and 171 to be engaged by the pin 185 and hence the portions 173 and 174 of, the arms to move past the hook and disengage the core therefrom. Owing to the fact that the shaft 225 is rotating, the core is moved downwardly thereon by the thread 230. In this manner all of the cores 251 may be completely separated and all but the last core, which rests on the hooks 97 and 98, loosely assembled on the shaft 225 whereafter they may be re moved. If, for any reason however, one of the cores should not be disengaged from a hook on the chain 140 and it should be carried past the rod 225, subsequently it will be moved against the arm 196 of the switch 195 thereby operating the latter and opening the circuit to the motor 115.

From the above description, it is apparent that a machine has been provided for separating automatically the cores of rubber belts which adhere to one another, following the cutting thereof from a band of assembled rubberized material. It is apparent that the machine is simple and that no manual operation is required other than disposing the band of assembled cores in the machine and removing the separated cores therefrom.

It also is apparent that the machine is adapted for separating articles of various shapes, such as bales of rubber for example. The arm 43 obviously may be adapted to support articles having a shape other than cylindrical.

Although I have illustrated only the preferred form which my invention may assume and have described that form in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that Various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for disassembling circular articles from each other comprising a frame,

7 an arm pivoted on the frame adapted to extend through the circular articles to be separated, rollers on the arm adapted to support the articles to be disassembled, automatic means for periodically moving the articles toward the free end of the arm, and means adapted to engage the articles periodically and disassemble them.

2. The combination of a frame, rollers, on the frame adapted to support an article to be disassembled, automatic means independent of the rollers for periodically moving the article toward one end of the frame, and means adapted to engage the article periodically and disassemble it by increments.

The combination of a frame, an arm on the frame adapted to project through a cylindrical band of rubber cores adhering together, means for periodically moving the band towards an end of the arm, means for successively separating an end core from the others, and other means for threading the cores on a rod following the separating operation.

4:. The combination with a frame, an arm on the frame adapted to project through a cylindrical band of rubber cores adhering together, means for periodically moving the band towards an end of the arm, means limiting the movement of the band to such position that one of the cores is disposed beyond the end of the arm, means for successively separating the end core from the others, and other means for threading the cores on a rod following the separating operation.

5. In a belt manufacturing device, means for supporting a cylindrical band of rings adhering one to another, means for removing the rings one at a time from the band, and means operating in conjunction with the removing means for threading the rings upon a support after such disassembling operation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

Signed at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, U. S. A., this 2nd day of January, 1929.

WILLIAM H. GERSTENSLAGER. 

